Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-11-16
AMERICAS NEW NAVY.
1T WILL Be A CREDIT AS WE'LL AS A
PROTECTION.
Commodore Wilson's Encouraging RspoH-EcOnOmy
and Business Methods in the Department Tell
the Tals-Ths United States Independent
Of Europe for Materials.

WASHINGTON, November 15.-Commo-
dore T. d. Wilson, chief of the bureau
OF construction and repair OF the Navy
department, has submitted his annual re-
port to the Secretary of the Navy. He re-
news his recommendation that two new
vessels Of about ], 200 tons each be built,
to replace the training ships, Saratoga,
jamestown and Portsmouth, which cannot
possibly be kept in service much longer,
and he asks that special authority be given
for the repair of the historic slOop Of war
Hartford, at a cost of Sl75, 900.
Relative to the adaptability OF the single
turreted Monitors for coast and harbor de-
fense, Commodore Wilson says They
ere now q considerable expense to the
Navy, rs they must be taken care of, and
not being in proper repair they are of no
use to the country. Ifthese vessels are TO
be kept on the Naval lis. they should be
placed in perfect repair and he fitted with
such modern rifles rs they are capable Of
carrying.
all OF these vessels could be put in the
same state of efficiency as they were at the
time of their construction, at an eXpendi-
ture of about 5000 This would give
thirteen coast defense vessels actually
available, armed with l5-inch smooth bore
guns. These guns could be replaced as
rapidly as possible with rifles. By no
other means could the same amount of
money be spent to give the country such a
valuable return"
In conclusion the report says: THE out
look for the navy in the near future, is
very hopeful one and with the completion
of the vessels now projected the Navy will
consist of a number OF modern vessels ad
mirably adapte 10 the varied needs of the
service.
"The character of the work being done
on the vessels now building and those late
ly completed shows that our ship-builders
are able to turn out vessels of war second to
none in the world. The establishment of
the gun factory at Washing on and the in-
PRODUCTION by the Bethlehem Iron works of
a plant to furnish heavy armor and gun
forgings makes the United States absolute
ly independent OF other countries in the
construction and armament of her ships Of
war, and if the work of rebuilding the
Navy is only kept up as it is now going we
shall soon have a navy that
WILL BE CREDIT
as we'll as protection to our country and
our country's interests.
Appended to the report is q tabulated
statement of the estimates of the approx
nation for the next fiscal year. Under the
head of salaries, $l4, ESQ is asked for; 5000,
900 is estimated for the construction and
repairs OF vessels; $24, ,Oil for the civil es-
tablishment at navy yards: $l15,0O for
extra tools at the Mare Island navy yard
$50, 900 for the construction of experiment
tai works, TO test the resistance of ships at
the new navy yards, and 81, 600, 600 on ac-
count of hulls and outfits of new ships.
Tables attached TO the report, show the
exact condition of every vessel in the navy.
This table shows that in three years we
shall have twenty-one of the wooden YES
sells remaining, in six years but four, and
and in nine years the entire wooden navy
will have disappeared.
The appendix also contains elaborate
detailed statements from the officers in
charge Of the construction Of the new
cruisers, gun boats and dynamite cruiser; of
the work remaining to be done, as well As
descriptions and plates of the new vessels
aud monitors, showing their dimensions,
probable cost and other details